Third-rail connector and contact shoe unit for toy electric railways



Feb. 27, 1951 s BERGER 2,543,091

THIRD RAIL com'IcToR AND CONTACT SHOE UNIT FOR TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAYS Filed Aug. 3, 1949 l/ I v I I i4 H 2 3 {0 I :5 E: L 'l A j f AU) Uh '1 I i x I I z 7 S is INVENTOR JamaeJjBez yefi ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 27, 1951 THIRD-RAH] .CQNNEGTOR AND CONTACT SHOE .UNIT ,FOR TOY ELECTRIC RAIL- ISamueI I. Berger, Newark, :N; .3. Application, August 3, 1949, Serial No. 108,313

(or. 191-'-t49) 4 Claims.

The present inventionrelatesto thirdrail con- 'nector and contact 'shoe units for toy electric railways.

It is among the objects of the-invention to provide a connector and shoe unit of the above type of low cost, easy to assemble'andinstall, in which the electrical connection from the third rail to the electric motor is dependably' maintained without the danger of disconnection or looseness of contacts and without interruption in movement of the motor carrying car past short interruptions such as cross-overs on the track, which unit lS'Df such sturdiness as to require" no replacement during the expected life of the toy, and to be substantially proof against derangement under the expected rough handling of the toy in use.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention, v

Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary side elevation of a toylocomotive and the relationship of the third rail connector and contactshoeunit therewith,

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the unit on a larger "scale,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal crosssection Etherleof, taken on-line 3.3 ofFig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, the third rail connector -and-contact shoe unit It] 'is mounted in conventional manner under the locomotive or other electric motor bearing car or truck H of the toy train and its contact shoes S, two in number near the opposite ends of the unit ride on the third rail l2, connection to the motor (not shown) being made by way of a flexible lead L.

The connector and contact shoe unit Ill per se with which the invention is concerned, is best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. In general it involves a metal, preferably a sheet metal mount l3 extending the entire length of the unit In and upon which rests a leaf spring M which extends substantially the length thereof and may be substantially flat, as shown. The middle of this leaf spring is securely affixed in electrically conductive relation to the middle of the metal mount I3, by a screw, rivet or the like, but preferably by a hollow rivet or eyelet l5, as shown.

The contact shoes S are rigid with the leaf spring I4 near opposite ends thereof, and extend r downward therefrom. Preferably each of these contact shoes is made of a piece distinct from the spring but rigidly afflxed to the latter. Each contact shoe S is preferably fashioned from a single piece of sheet metal stock thicker than the leaf spring -I'4 but of little or no resiliency. While the shoe may-thus be fashioned from sheet stock in a hollow shell of any of'various-suitable shapes, it is preferred to coil it into a cylinder IS with atangential outwardly directed base extension I? rigidly affixed to the spring near the end of the latter by means similar to that which affixes the centerof thespring I' l to'the metalmount'l-3 and preferably by an eyelet l8.

In a desirable construction the leaf spring I4 is enclosed by forming the metal mount [3 thereof in the form of a narrow rectangular box B, preferably a sheet metal box having upwardly turned side walls l9 and end walls 20 of length and width, respectively, little greater than those of the spring. Preferably the contact sho'e's S protrude through-corresponding ports 2| near the ends of the floor [3 of the box B through which they are free resiliently to move upward and do'w'nward in the course of travel along the plete theassembly. 'Thein'sulating plate22 preferably serves as the carrier or support for the unit and to this end-it is provided with integral outstanding lugs 25 that protrude into correspondinggrooves 26 in the car structure.

' The. spring :and contact shoe assembly; preferably, has an extension tongue 21 protruding outward beyond each end wall 20 of the sheet metal box B through corresponding ports 28 therein, the upper edge 29 of which port acts as a stop to limit the inward displacement or deflection of the shoes against the resiliency of the spring I 6 in use of the device. As shown, each extension 21 is on the shoe piece S and protrudes beyond the corresponding end of the leaf spring M,

The flexible lead L that makes electrical connection from the shoes ,8 to the electric motor (not shown) is desirably soldered or otherwise rigidly secured to the metal mount [3 or sheet metal box B preferably to the end wall of such case as at 30.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention there are no rotating rollers or wheels, or removable screws or special forgings or hearing pins that add to cost and are subject to derangement. The entire unit is made solely of conventional sheet metal stock, conventional rivets or eyelets and conventional fiber board. The extremely simple contact shoes S formed from sheet metal by a forming die are readily eyeleted to the ends of the leaf spring [4, which in turn is readily eyeleted to the middle of the sheet metal box B, closed by the fiber board carrier plate 22.

Despite its simplicity, the unit is efficient and durable. There are no parts to wear loose or become deflected from proper alignment. The contact shoes are wear resistant in their travel over the third rail and yield under the resilience of their carrying pring I4 to accommodate irregularities of the track or third rail, said spring at all times maintaining resilient engagement of the shoe against the third rail.

The electrical connection is most efficient since the current flows from the contact shoes S through the length of the spring I4 by way of the eyelet [5 that makes an excellent electrical connection to the mount I3 from which the flexible current lead L connects to the electric motor. The electrical circuit connection is so reliable and secure by this arrangement that loose contacts or contact interruptions are avoided substantially regardless of rough handling.

As man changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be. made Without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A third rail connector and contact shoe assembly for toy electric railways comprising a leaf spring, a conductive base to which the center of said spring is affixed in conductive relation, and a pair of contact shoes rigid with the ends of said spring and resiliently retained thereby to extend below said base, each of said shoes being of relatively non-resilient sheet metal stock heavier than the spring, conformed substantially as a cylinder with a tangential extension against the underface of the spring end and riveted thereto.

2. A third rail connector and contact shoe unit for toy electric railways, comprising a sheet metal case, a leaf spring extending longitudinally of the floor of said case and afiixed thereto at its mid point in electric conductive relation therewith, contact shoes on the ends of said spring and protruding downward through corresponding ports in said floor, extensions on the ends of said spring and shoe assembly protruding through corresponding slots in the ends of said case, said slots afiording stops for said extensions to limit the upward displacement of said shoes, a carrier plate closing said case and serving to mount the unit in position, said case having a current lead affixed thereto.

3. A third rail connector and contact shoe unit for toy electric railways comprising a rectangular metal case, a leaf spring on the floor of said case extending the length thereof and centrally riveted thereto, a pair of contact shoes riveted to the underface of said spring near the end thereof and protruding downward through corresponding ports in said floor, each of said shoes having an extension tongue protruding beyond the spring through a corresponding opening in the associated end of the case, the upper edge of each of said openings servin as a stop to limit displacement of the contact shoes, an insulating cover plate for said case, the side walls of said case presenting tongues bent over said cover, said metal case serving also for current lead connection.

4. A third rail connector and contact sho unit for toy electric railways comprising a sheet metal case, a leaf spring on the floor of said case extending substantially the length thereof and eyeleted thereto near its middle, a pair of contact shoes each comprising an integral piece of sheet metal of relatively non-resilient stock heavier than said spring, each shoe being eyeleted to the underface of the spring near the opposite ends thereof, each shoe protruding downward through a corresponding port in said floor, and a flexible current lead connection afiixed to said case, each shoe having an integral extension protruding beyond the corresponding end of the case through a corresponding slot in said end, and an insulating closure plate for said case, serving as the carrier therefor.

SAMUEL I. BERGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,918,795 Bonanno July 18, 1933 1,918,796 Bonanno July 18, 1933 

